Marvel fans all over the world have been anticipating the release of Avengers: Doomsday for the past two years. It's no surprise; the film is easily going to be one of the biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe events of all time, which is really saying something considering the large-scale events that this franchise has offered up throughout the years. And the CinemaCon trailer has made it clear that it is worthy of that reputation.
Excitement for the movie has been at an all-time high this year due to Marvel Studios officially commencing the marketing strategy - which has featured the rollout of four major trailers attached to Avatar: Fire and Ash and the aforementioned CinemaCon-exclusive trailer. And although Marvel has yet to release the latter online, the detailed trailer descriptions have made it clear what goes down in it. This has, unsurprisingly, made audiences even more ready for everything that the movie has in store.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of all are the three big returns in the trailer. With that in mind, let's dive into them.
1. Steve Rogers / Captain America
It was the first official teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday that confirmed Chris Evans would be reprising his role as Steve Rogers in the upcoming MCU film. The original Captain America has not been present in an MCU film since his exit from the franchise in 2019's Avengers: Endgame and that first teaser confirmed that the rumors of his return were true. It also revealed that he and Peggy Carter now have a child.
The CinemaCon trailer, however, took things a step further and actually featured a long-awaited reunion between Steve and his Avengers teammate Thor. The two friends catch up when the former Captain America is able to summon Mjolnir from Thor's hands, proving that even years after his apparent retirement, Cap is still worthy.
Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth are two of the MCU's original stars, so to see them come together in Avengers: Doomsday - a movie that we know will be all about celebrating the legacy of Marvel movies - is going to be a moment in time. And, quite likely an emotional one for audiences watching in theaters.
2. Gambit
We knew this return was coming as Marvel Studios had announced Channing Tatum as one of the many, many, many cast members of Avengers: Doomsday in the five-hour livestream cast announcement back in March 2025. Tatum finally got the chance to bring Gambit to life in Deadpool and Wolverine and he'll return in a big way in the upcoming film. And yet, none of that could have prepared us for the revelation of what actually goes down in that trailer.
Gambit's return will seemingly involve him teaming with the X-Men as they do battle with the Avengers. It turns out that the Avenger he will be going up against will be none other than Shang-Chi, meaning that we're going to see an incredibly choreographed showdown in which the Ten Rings could collide with Gambit's iconic exploding playing cards.
Of all the iconic moments of the trailer that have surfaced online via footage breakdowns, this was the one that got the biggest response. Audiences are ready to see Gambit and Shang-Chi fight each other, and the result could very easily be out of this world (or, well, multiverse!).
3. Cassie Lang
This is a return we didn't see coming. Kathryn Newton had not been announced as returning for Avengers: Doomsday in that cast announcement but the CinemaCon trailer has since confirmed that she will be reprising her role as Cassie Lang. The star, who made her MCU debut in 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, makes a brief appearance in the preview as the breakdowns confirm that her father, Scott Lang / Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), is seen kissing us on the forehead in what appears to be an emotional moment.
Newton has since confirmed that she will be starring the movie, taking to social media the very next day to share that Marvel has sent her a set chair with her name on it - a nod to the five-hour livestream that featured set chairs for every confirmed cast member. And, with that, Cassie Lang will return.
For the moment, it's unlikelu that Cassie will have a major role as her involvement will likely be part of Ant-Man's arc in the movie. However, it's worth bearing in mind that a number of rumors regarding 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars suggest that the Young Avengers, a.k.a. the Champions, will have a major role in dealing with the fallout of Avengers: Doomsday. So perhaps Cassie's inclusion here is indeed to set the stage for a much bigger role in the sequel.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on Dec. 18, 2026.
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